​Wilson Says Pay Inequity A 'Tough Till To Swallow'

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October 4, 2018

When LeBron James signed a four-year, $154 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers last July, A’ja Wilson was left shaking her head.
And tweeting.

Wilson, a former University of South Carolina women’s basketball standout who plays for the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, is a fan of James, to be sure, but took to Twitter to underscore the disparity between NBA salaries and those of players in the WNBA.

WNBA salaries are capped at $110,000, according to CNBC, while NBA players were paid a minimum of $815,000 last season.

“It is a large gap, and a tough pill to swallow,” said Wilson, a Hopkins native who will speak at the quarterly Coaches 4 Character program Thursday night at Greenville’s Relentless Church. “I realize things aren’t going to happen overnight, but it’s more of a respect thing – people on social media downgrading me because I’m a woman.
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“That’s where we have to start. The biggest thing I learned about being a pro athlete is people are going to say a lot of things.”

So, too, is Wilson, who isn’t about to apologize for engaging people on social media and bringing the topic of gender inequity to the forefront.

“The pay gap is there – not necessarily just in sports, but across all workplaces,” Wilson said. “The NBA players back us up. They know that it’s real.
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“I’m glad to have tweeted something that sparked conversation and brought awareness. I’m a female athlete and should be respected as much as anyone else.”

When it comes to Wilson, there’s plenty to respect. She was a three-time All-American at South Carolina and guided the Gamecocks to the NCAA title in 2017, then was made the No. 1 overall selection in the WNBA Draft last April.

The 6-foot-4 Wilson promptly averaged 20.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game en route to WNBA Rookie of the Year honors.

She just returned Tuesday from the FIBA World Cup in Spain, where she helped lead the United States to its third consecutive world title and secure a berth in the 2020 Olympic Games. She did so while playing for her college coach, Dawn Staley, who became the first person to win the World Cup as a player, assistant coach and head coach.

“I think she probably thought she got rid of me,” Wilson said, laughing. “I was glad to be on this journey with her.”

Now she hopes to help others on their journey by inspiring young people, much like she’ll attempt Thursday night.

“My biggest message is to just have character, which is something Coach Staley embedded in my head,” Wilson said. “At the end of the day, if you have character and are a good person, it can take you a long way.”

The program for Upstate students is set to begin at 7 p.m. Admission is free for students and $5 for adults.

By: Scott Keepfer -- Greenville Online

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